"Honeymoon Hobos"

Janice Shefelman is the author of a new book, Honeymoon Hobos, reflections of the yearlong honeymoon she and her husband Tom took in the mid-1950's. In Janice's words, "A journey around the world that once was." She is the author of many award-winning children's books, but this is her first book for adults.

Janice writing her initial words by hand

I had never met Janice or Tom, but had seen them frequently at the local coffee shop. When their book came out, someone suggested that they would make interesting subjects for my blog. I took the bait.

Book People hosted the launching of the Shefelman's new book, which also coincided with their anniversary.  The book signing was followed by cake and champagne. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

The couple met while on a ski trip with college friends, and soon discovered that they both shared a passion for exploring the world. After a traditional wedding at Perkins Chapel on the SMU campus, and despite a good deal of trepidation on the parts of their families; they postponed careers and booked passage on a freighter headed for Japan. Tom, a young and gifted architect, was keen on studying Japanese architecture firsthand. As they traveled, he drew sketches of the people and places they visited. These sketches illuminate Janice's words, capturing moments that might otherwise have faded over the years.

Tom is both an architect and an artist

Japan was only the first of many ports-of-call. Remember, this was the 1950's, just a few years after WWII. A typical honeymoon then might have been spent in Jamaica, but these two adventurous souls were anything but typical. 
They traveled without making prior reservations, and would arrive in a town hoping to find a place to land for a night or two. Being unemployed newlyweds, their budget was very modest and they often stayed with locals or even a Buddhist monastery along the way. It was a great way to immerse themselves in the culture that surrounded them.  


I can say this, after all these years, they still are partners in life, love, and hopefully will soon be collaborating on another book.  Inspiring!


To find out more about Janice and Tom go to: www.Shefelmanbooks.com

Family Member Arrested

Before I get into the actual circumstances of the "crime", a little background information is in order. The family member in question is none other than my seventy- five year old former sister-in-law, Ann Christenson. Ann has always been someone who has inspired me with her life-long spirit of involvement. She is one of those people who does not sit on the sidelines complaining about the sorry state of affairs. She takes action, lending her voice to the issues that matter to her.


Younger than her years, she is passionate about the environment, politics and leaving the world a better place for her grandchildren. Even when living in the tiny town of Good Thunder, Minnesota, (population 500), Ann made a difference. She envisioned having a mural painted on a local grain elevator. No small endeavor considering the sheer size of such a project, a total lack of funds, and little support from the townspeople. That did not stop her. She wrote a grant to raise the money, found an artist to take on the monumental task, and stood back to marvel at the final results. Her vision and action left a legacy for the people of Good Thunder. Needless to say, she won them over.

Photo by Robert Bothmann

Recently, Ann has become aware of the environmental consequences of the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. She and her husband John decided to be a part of the peaceful rally in Washington, D.C., and traveled from Iowa City to D.C.  First driving from Iowa City to Chicago, and then taking a train to the Capitol was anything but a leisurely trip. There were many arrests during the two week rally, and Ann and John were among those handcuffed and hauled off to jail. Apparently, the police felt that this 75 year old grandmother with a cane was a serious threat. When her children learned that their parents had been arrested, their response was that they had never been so proud.

Ann and John on the left by the barricade

Police officer putting the handcuffs on Ann

Now I ask you, what will you be doing when you are 75?

Green With Envy

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, my new yard is going to be a work in progress. I'm itching to get to it, but things will have to wait until the blazing heat subsides before I venture beyond the planning stage. In the meanwhile, I have been pouring over landscaping books looking for ideas that I could adapt for my own use. I thought about Anne Edwards and her beautifully landscaped yard-a ten year project in the making. Of course I am not that patient, and have never stayed in one place for ten years, so that would be a stretch for me.


Anne and I were recently introduced by a mutual friend and I was very impressed with the transformation she made to her Allandale home and gardens. The stylish and harmonious results she achieved using native plants and well designed hardscape areas are testament to her creative talent. She has managed to make a relatively small home feel much larger, linking the contemporary aesthetics of the interior to the surrounding space.


Anne has decided to sell her home and move to Asheville, N.C. where she can enjoy gardening without the threat of heatstroke! Our loss, but Asheville's gain. I admire her courage moving to a place where she knows not a soul, but with her attitude and talents, it should be a very soft landing.


Here are some photos that Anne has shared with me. I hope they will inspire even the most reluctant gardener among you.
Enjoy.

A bed of native plants softens the curb approach 

Path leading from the driveway to the front door

         The clean lines of the steps complement the architectural lines of the 

                                            house

   The steel arbor defines an area for outdoor entertaining

A nice balance of lawn, beds and hardscape